Manitoba scores “F” second year in row in national red tape report card
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CFIB's Red Tape Report Card 2012
As part of its third annual Red Tape Awareness WeekTM, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) released its annual Red Tape Report Card today. While several governments took steps forward on red tape reform, the grades show Manitoba has much room to improve.
The report card evaluates federal and provincial governments' progress to date on regulatory reform. It looks at measurement, political leadership, constraints on regulators and a permanent commitment to report.
British Columbia earns top marks for its leadership. In addition to measuring the red tape burden for a decade, it recently passed first-of-its-kind legislation requiring an annual report on regulation.
Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Northwest Territories all received a failing grade for making little or no progress. Manitoba has largely focused its regulatory reform efforts on its expansion of BizPaL and the introduction of programs like BizPaS and AccessManitoba. While these are certainly welcomed measures, Manitoba should legislate annual measuring, reducing, tracking and reporting of its regulatory burden.
Manitoba scored much lower than neighbouring Saskatchewan which improved its grade to a B- this year because of Premier Wall's election commitment to legislate red tape accountability measures, public reporting and targets for red tape reduction in 2012.
In a time of economic uncertainty, one of the best, low-cost stimulus measures governments can undertake is cutting red tape. It's also a way to help boost productivity - an area where Manitoba currently lags.
CFIB Red Tape Report Card 2012
2011 and 2012 provincial grades
